Months after the brutal crackdown by Chinese forces against Tibetan demonstrators, Tibetans continue to live in a climate of fear and repression. Continuing restrictions on foreign reporters has created a virtual media blackout, whilst the Chinese authorities have intensified 'patriotic re-education' across a highly militarised region.
Protestors sentenced
On 29 April, 30 Tibetans were given sentences ranging from three years to life imprisonment, with a further 12 sentenced for unspecified terms on 19 & 20 June. In response to the trials, Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch stated: "Tibetans are entitled to a fair trial," adding, "instead, they were tried on secret evidence behind closed doors and without the benefit of a meaningful defence." To date a further 116 Tibetans have trials pending. Chinese government official, Palma Trily, has stated, "It would be decided under Chinese laws whether some would be sentenced to death." JUNE 2008
Mass detention and imprisonment of Tibetan monks
Amidst tight security surrounding Tibet's main monasteries, sources in Tibet have revealed that over 1,000 monks have been taken to detention centres and prisons in and around the city of Golmud in Qinghai. The detained monks are all from outside of the Tibetan Autonomous Region and their detention is ostensibly part of a policy to rid the monasteries of any monks not registered as formal residents of the area. The monks have been told they will be incarcerated until the end of the Olympics and then released. However they will not be permitted to return to Lhasa. JULY 2008
Foreign journalists face ongoing restrictions
According to Human Rights Watch, Tibet has effectively become a 'forbidden zone' as the Beijing authorities continue to renege on their assurances that foreign media would enjoy unfettered access to report from Tibet before and during the Olympics. In its report, China's Forbidden Zones: Shutting out of Tibet and other sensitive stories, Human Rights Watch states that Tibet is "off-limits to foreign media". Reporters Without Borders has recorded more than 40 serious rights violations of foreign journalists since 10 March. They have been prevented from working freely in the cities of Lhasa, Beijing, Chengdu and Xining, as well as Tibetan populated regions in the provinces of Gansu, Sichuan and Qinghai.
In addition to curtailing the promised access to journalists, the Chinese authorities have stepped up 'jamming' of radio stations such as Voice of Tibet and Radio Free Asia who broadcast to Tibet from external countries. Internet and telephone activity in Tibet also continues to be disrupted with websites and email blocked and phone lines being cut off. JULY 2008
Beijing intensifies patriotic re-education
Since 10 March, Chinese authorities have renewed their patriotic re-education campaign and targeted Tibetan Buddhist monasteries demanding that monks denounce the Dalai Lama and recognise Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. The intensive sessions administered by 'work teams' of Chinese officials have been imposed within heavily guarded monasteries in a drive to stamp out dissent following the protests starting in March 2008. Monks are forced to study and comply with texts that are pure propaganda material, and include chapters on "What happened during unrest in our prefecture" and "The history of how Tibet became part of China".
According to the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, on 19 May in a night raid, Chinese security forces arrested 12 monks from Dingri Shelkar Choedhe Monastery for opposing the patriotic reeducation campaign. Their whereabouts remain unknown. JUNE 2008